Stalk-cutter.



.0. N. OWEN.

STALK CUTTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Suuewfoz W1 tn one:

7 0| NI STALK- CUTTER. APPLIOATION FILED JUICE-I10, 1908.

1 Patented May 4, 1909.

3 SHEETS-8HEET 3.

Witnuuo arm,

ORLANDO N. OWEN, OF FORSYTH, GEORGIA.

s'rALK-co'r'rnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10,. 1908.

PatentedMa-y 4, 1909.

Serial No. 437,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLANDO N. OWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forsvth, in the county of Monroe and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stalk-Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for cutting into small pieces the standing stalks of cotton, corn, etc., after harvesting of the crop, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, eflicient and comparatively inexpensive construction of machine of this character adapted to be drawn across tle field and having cutting mechanism adapted to be conveniently thrown into and out of action by the driver.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanf ing drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through the machine taken on a line in advance of the cutting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 1 is a detail view of one of the cutting knives.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates an upper, horizontal rectangular main frame preferably constructed of angle iron and comprising front, rear and side bars, the front bar being provided with forward e2;- tensions 2 cooperating to form a partial socket for the rear end of a draft tongue 8, which latter is connected with and stayed from the rear portion of the main frame by longitudinal braces 41; converging at their forward ends and bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the said extensions 2 and tongue 3-3. Depending from the rear of the said main frame are side standards 0 connecte l at their lower ends by a transverse oar 6 and providcd with bearings 7 for spindles or stub shafts 8 on which are revolubly mounted traction wheels 9, the hub of each of which carries a sprocket wheellO.

Mounted upon the main frame are bearing brackets 11 in which is journaled a transverse drive shaft 12 carrying at its ends sprocket pinions 13 connected with the aforesaid sprocket wheels by drive chains 14.

Secured to the opposite sides of and extending into the main frame are elbow brackets 15 and 15, from which extend upright arms 16 provided at their upper ends with bearings 17 for a countershaft 18 on which is mounted a pinion 19 and a beveled gear 20, the said pinion meshing with a drive gear 21 on the shaft 12.

Secured to and depending from the transverse and longitudinal arms of bracket 15 are vertical bars or standards 22, 22 and 22 and disposed in advance of said bars in the opposite side of the longitudinal center of the frame is a vertical bar or standard 22. The bars or standards 22 and 22 are connected at their lower ends by a ti-shaped bracket or cross bar 23, and the brackets 1.5 and 15 are connected at their upper ends v a cross bar 24:, from which a diagonal brace 25 extends to and supports the upper end of the bar 22. Secured at its rear edge to and between the bars or standards 22 and 22 is a stalk guide 27, comprising a suitable metallic frame and a body of woven wire or other reticulated material, while secured to the standard 22 and at its upper end to the brace 25 is a stalk guide 28 composed of cross strips fixed to said standard and a body of woven wire or other reticulated material secured to the said strips. These stalk guides 27 and 28 project outwardly and forwardly from their supporting parts in divergent relation, so that they converge inwardly and rearwardl to guide the standing stalks to the cutters in the operation of the machine as it is drawn across the field.

A vertical shaft 29 is ournaled at its upper and lower end in suitable bearings 30 and. 31 in the bars or cross-pieces 24 and 23, in which bearings it is adapted to both rotate and slide vertically, and at its upper end said shaft carries a bevel pinion 82 meshing with the bevel gear 20. The shaft carries a series of horizontally disposed cutting knives 33 projecting laterally therefrom, said scriesbeing so arranged as to eX- tend spirally around the circumference of the shaft, said knives being arranged at different elevations upon the shaft, and adapted in the forward motion of the machine to rotate with the shaft and cut the standing stalks of corn into small pieces. The shaft is arranged in rear of and on a line between the rear edges of the converging guides 2'7 and 28, which latter serve to prevent lateral deflection of the stalks during the cutting action of the knives thereon. The knives are preferably formed in superposed pairs by bending a single strip of steel into Uform, to provide a body portioi l means for locking the lever 40 in adjusted ivotally secured to the shaft and upper and ower cutting blades, as shown. The rear edge of the guide iscut away to form slots 84 through which the cutting knives are adapted to rotate and also to provioe between the slots guard lingers 35 to retain the stalks in position while they are being acted upon by the knives. The supporting bar 22' of the guide 27 also carres a series of curved or segmental guard strips 36 which extend therefrom in rear of the shaft and cooperate with the fingers 35 for the purpose described, said guard strips being; spared apart to form passages through which the cutting knives rotate, as will be readilyundorstood. Hence, it will be-seen that in the forward movement of the machine, the stalks will be drawn by the guides mto posh tron to be acted upon by the cutting knives, which sever the same into small pieces, the stalks belng stayed while they are born out by the knives by the guard fingers and strips.

The cutter shaft 29 normally receives rotary motion through the interincshing en-- gageinent of the pinion with the gear 20 which is driven by the interposed from the drive shaft 12. The shaft has longitudinal movement in its bearings and 31 and tends to drop by gravity and is supported in operative posi ion by the lower forward end of a lever 37 in which it is journaled, said lever lacing fulcrurned upon an extension 23 from the vertex portion the bracket 23, on which the bearing 31 is also formed. The said forward end of the lever is held from downward movement by a pressure spring 38 fastened to the cross bar which spring operates to hold. the supported and to maintain the pinion 32 in engagement with the gear 20, so that normally the cutter shaft will be driven during the forward motion 'f the machine.

ilhe rear e l of the lever 23! is connected by a link 89 w ith the forward end of an op ating lever 40 pivotally supported upon the cross-bar 6 and having its opposite en formed to provide a treadle or foot-pi: disposed bel w and in convenient po relative to the drivers seat 42 position may be employed. Angle brackets e3 are fastened at their terminal ends to the upper front crossbar of the main frame and to the bar 6 ant carry draft hooks for the attachment of the swingle-trees to which the draft animals are attached.

From the foregoing; description, the construction and mode of operation of the apparatus nl be readily understood, and it an be seen that a simple type of apymratus is provided in -.'hieh the cutting mechanism is adapted to be thrown into and out of oper ation at ill and iich in action is adapted the zip aratiis is drawn across the field to gather and cut the standing stalks into a number of small piee r oaratus is equally effective in operation f 1" cutting the stalks of corn, cotton r plants of like character. ly described the invention,

. 1.. i L and ti-Lose of ot re rive 1 I iranre, a y -1 tie l tween said t g and adapt out of o iieration by a a i nioveient of said shaft, and r adyusting the shaft vertically.

talk out 3nd the "7 gearing idap-ted to he own 'illtO and out of an on by the vertical s aft, and a spring opermal position. a supporting frame, 5 reels, a very rtin g' frame 1e: ano sets of th rear of the s, a

a nd rota tably mountand carry c tters the paces besaid [:eft 4e throarn e vertical anism for arranged iinit of its VC i Olil ANDU N 

